Poetic Form- Abhanga

The "Abhanga" (or "Abhang") originated in India in the seventeenth century as religious discourse or devotional poetry. They were first written and sung by those considered saints, such as a popular poet of the time, Tukaram. Numbering in the 5,000's, to this day abhangs are sung in ritual marches by devotees of Indian saint-poets Namdeo, Tukaram and Dyaneshwar.

Because of their small size and simple rhyming scheme, contemporary poets, both Indian and others, have begun using the form in non-religious writings. Simple abhanga are four lines in length, with respective syllable counts of 6, 6, 6 and 4. In addition, the middle two lines rhyme while the outer two do not. Thus the rhyming scheme is "a-b-b-c."

Remember that in a rhyming pattern, lines ending in a sound designated by "a" only rhyme with other "a" lines, "b" lines only with other "b" lines, and so on.

Typical variations include multiple stanzas and different rhyming schemes. For one modified abhanga, I chose to write it in a series and made the four-syllable last line of each stanza a refrain. Other poets have even dropped the rhyming scheme altogether, making it similar to haiku or tanka. There is no naming convention.

Example:

Lucy

Lucy's ears are straight back
when she's let loose to run,
her legs a blur, now done-
she's out of breath.

A "Wizard of Oz" Cairn,
but with a coarse blonde coat,
she whines a piercing note
with snacks about.

The North Wind Blows

When chill of winter comes
amidst the autumn air,
with months ahead to bear,
the north wind blows.

The lake, abandoned, both
by fools and wiser men
they spurn the open when
the north wind blows.

The climate's cold decline
has yet to be complete,
with snow about to greet,
the north wind blows.

Devoid of human touch,
abyss derides the shore,
and always, as before,
the north wind blows.

Now winter does emerge,
a blizzard in mid-course,
with horizontal force,
the north wind blows.

The roads and towns are closed
for dangers of the cold,
as storms of ice unfold,
the north wind blows.

A lessening occurs,
a warming trend remains,
still everyone complains,
the north wind blows.

Once spring has come at last,
it's soon to be outdone,
yes, even in the sun,
the north wind blows.